2012 Chevrolet Impala: engine and transmission complaints
ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
34%
77 of 227 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
34% of relevant owner complaints on the 2012 Chevrolet Impala are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.
Better than 63% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 31 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 30%).
The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER, AND THE ENGINE STALLED. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED NECK AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQU…
POWER TRAIN12/13/2011CRASH1 INJURED
CAR WAS IN PARK AT A GAS STATION, IGNITION OFF, CAR NOT RUNNING. GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR SHOWED "PARK". DRIVER WAS OUT OF THE CAR AND THE CAR ROLLED AWAY, CRASHING INTO PARKED VEHICLE AND RESULTING IN INJURY TO DRIVER. THIS WAS AN AVIS RENTAL CAR WITH 7,500 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. *TR
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE09/23/2025
I have about 08/1825 had the throttle body replaced on my vehicle which assisted with the problem temporarily. Then the problem started again 09/20/25 the car act like it’s stalling while driving and can’t see what hear the vehicle is in. The car is not getting any signal to the engine as I have been advised the TCM is…
Three of 77 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
Recall campaigns on this model year (3)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, customers should remove all items from their key rings, leaving only the …
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
General Motors (GM) is recalling certain model year 2008-2012 Chevrolet Impala police vehicles because the front lower control arms may fracture. This safety recall does…
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
GM IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2012 CHEVROLET IMPALA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL 19, 2011, THROUGH JULY 29, 2011. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE MAY HAVE BEEN MI…
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2012 Chevrolet Impala
Ask the seller whether the engine has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many engine faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the engine.
3 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A engine already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history
report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition
of any individual vehicle.
